Milan Bier, 92, died Jan. 15, 2013.
Born in Vukovar, Croatia (then part of Yugoslavia), Mr. Bier spent four years as a refugee in Yugoslavia, Italy and Switzerland during World War II. He graduated from the University of Geneva and immigrated to the United States in 1945. He received a doctorate in chemistry from Fordham University in New York City. In 1953, he married Rhoda Solway. They and their three children moved to Tucson in 1962. Bier worked at the Veterans’ Administration Hospital for 15 years before taking a position at the University of Arizona, where he served as director of the Biophysics Technology Laboratory and later the Center for Separation Science. Mr. Bier was professor emeritus in the UA department of chemical and environmental engineering. He spoke five languages.
Mr. Bier was preceded in death by his first wife, Rhoda (Solway) Bier and brother, Ivan Bier. Survivors include his second wife, Tokcha Brown of Tucson; sister, Greta Koppel of Miami, Fla.; daughter, Vicki (David Glyer) Bier of Madison, Wisc.; sons, James Bier of Tucson and Robert (Elaine Yew) Bier of Singapore; and four grandchildren.
Memorial contributions may be made to the charity of your choice.
